ABM_1 - Flipbook - Page 33
OPINION
RETAIL
SKILLS CRUNCH
WORKFORCE STRATEGY
Software developers who might once
have worked on drive systems are now
building artificial intelligence (AI) models
or cybersecurity frameworks in other
industries.
The competition isn't Ford versus BMW
anymore, it's automotive versus Big Tech,
fintech, and every other sector chasing
the same digital minds.
Talent investment gap
This growing competition for talent
is forcing automotive employers to
rethink their strategies, with many
employers hitting pause on hiring. 45%
of automakers plan to keep headcount
flat in 2025, with only 38% expecting to
increase hiring. While some are waiting
for economic conditions to stabilise, that
hesitation comes at a cost.
Automotive's talent pipelines operate
on long lead times, the skills that go
undeveloped or unfilled today will be the
shortages that stall innovation tomorrow.
In today's market, waiting isn't a
strategy, it's a liability.
The urgency is compounded by the fact
that the very nature of automotive roles is
shifting. As vehicles become increasingly
software-driven, the traditional expertise
in manufacturing and assembly must
73% OF EMPLOYERS
IN THE AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY SAY THEY
ARE CURRENTLY OR
ACTIVELY PLANNING
TO RECRUIT FOR GREEN
JOBS AND SKILLS
OPERATIONS &
LOGISTICS (29%),
IT & DATA (25%),
ENGINEERING (22%)
AND MANUFACTURING
& PRODUCTION
(19%) ARE THE MOST
DIFFICULT SKILLS TO
FIND IN AUTOMOTIVE
now be complemented by fluency
in AI, data science, automation, and
embedded systems. Engineers must be
comfortable coding. Production leads
must understand automation.
Project managers are expected to
speak the language of both mechanics
and machine learning.
The 'World of Work' report identifies
operations, logistics, and engineering as
the hardest roles to fill, precisely
the functions that underpin growth
in a digital-first automotive ecosystem.
This evolution places a premium not
just on technical proficiency, but on
adaptability. Employers that recruit
narrowly for hard skills risk being left
behind as those skills evolve. Hiring for
learning agility, problem-solving, and
collaboration is becoming a far stronger
predictor of long-term success.
And yet, despite the scale of disruption,
more than half of automotive workers
(56%) say they haven't received formal
training in the past six months. That
should sound alarm bells. →
Q4 2025 AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
33
